


The New Kid On The Station

by heretostealyogirl



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Anxiety, Autistic Character Written By Autistic Author, Cardassians with tails, Cultural Differences, Developing Friendships, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jake and Nog being troublemaking little shits, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Episode: s02e05 Cardassians, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Running Away, and lazy, and other lizardy features such as claws and fangs, chapters are short because author is a slow writer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 11:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25848979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heretostealyogirl/pseuds/heretostealyogirl
Summary: A Cardassian war orphan from Bajor ends up living on DS9. Shenanigans ensue.This is my first ever Star Trek fic. I have no idea what I'm doing. Go easy on me, would ya?CURRENTLY ON HIATUS while I settle into my new school routine. Please bear with me!
Relationships: Nog & Jake Sisko, Nog & Jake Sisko & Original Character
Comments: 17
Kudos: 14





	1. A New Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Not the most exciting first chapter, but I have to start somewhere, right? Things will get more interesting in the next few chapters, especially once Jake and Nog get involved. Also, this is my first ever Star Trek fanfic, so any feedback is greatly appreciated!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the most exciting opening to a fic, but I have to start somewhere, right? Things will get more interesting in the next few chapters - for now, I'm just setting the scene and getting a feel for the characters.  
> Also, this is my first ever Star Trek fanfic, so any feedback is greatly appreciated!

"I am going to ask you one more time, what are you doing here on Deep Space Nine?" The young Cardassian looked up into those piercing eyes that judged him from the other side of the forcefield. The chief of security was a strange-looking being, and of a species that the boy didn't recognise. He wasn't one to judge others by their appearance, but something about that weirdly smooth face made him uncomfortable.

This 'interrogation' had been going on for all of five minutes when several other people entered the room, humanoids of various kinds, and joined the security chief in his questioning of the Cardassian boy he had apprehended.

"You said you caught him trying to steal food from Quark's?" One of them asked. He seemed to be the one in charge.

"That's correct, sir." _Sir_. He was right, this must be their leader. The security chief continued, "He _claims_ to be a war orphan from Bajor, but somehow I don't believe that story. I haven't been able to get much else out of him."

The leader took a step towards the force field. "I am Benjamin Sisko, Commander of this station." He spoke calmly, but had an overpowering air of authority that the boy was reluctant to go up against, "What is your name, young man?"

The young Cardassian hesitated, looking back and forth between the various officers in front of him. None of them seemed particularly pleased to see him, rather, they all appeared mildly concerned.

"Modir." He eventually said, "Modir Neddel."

"And what exactly are you doing here on the station, Modir?"

"I already explained it to your security chief, but he didn't believe me." He flicked his tail frustratedly.

"So explain it to me as well." The Commander folded his arms and stood there, waiting for the boy's response.

Modir regarded him quietly for a moment. If the chief of security didn't believe him, then why would any the other officers? He didn't seem to have much of a choice, though, judging by the multiple glares he was currently receiving, most notably by the Bajoran officer. He let out a small sigh, flicking his tail again, before giving in and going through the story once more. 

"I was one of the Cardassian orphans left behind on Bajor. My Bajoran family took me in along with a few others and raised us like their own. But... I never really felt like I belonged there. We all accepted what the Bajorans taught us about Cardassians and the history between our two worlds, and for a long time, everything was fine." He paused, "Then I saw a Starfleet officer come to Bajor.. with a Cardassian... And it got me thinking. I decided that enough was enough, I had to get out of there!"

"You _wanted_ to leave your Bajoran family?" The Bajoran officer interrupted.

"Well... I didn't really _want_ to leave them, but I wanted to go back to Cardassia, to learn the real history of my kind and my world, and... Live somewhere where I wouldn't be treated like some kind of monster just because I look different. I'm not saying my life on Bajor was bad, but I used to get so many stares from the Bajoran kids, I never had any friends, hardly anyone would come near me! I thought that maybe if I went back to Cardassia, things would be better..."

"But then you realised that you wouldn't be accepted there, either, because of your Bajoran upbringing." The other female officer chimed in, finishing the boy's sentence for him. Modir looked at her curiously, eyes tracing the spots that decorated the sides of her face and neck.

He nodded, "But by then it was too late. I'd already run away from my family on Bajor and stowed away on a cargo ship. That's how I ended up here, on the station. And now I... I don't know what to do. I can't go back to Bajor now, not after what I said to my parents before I left, but I can't go to Cardassia either. I figured that since I'm here... I might as well stay."

"You want to stay here, on DS9?" Sisko asked. Modir looked away, an almost scared expression on his face, but nodded.

"I've been here for a few days already. I didn't want to have to steal anything, but I was so quick to leave my home on Bajor that I didn't bring anything with me. Which was a stupid idea, but it's too late now." He walked right up to the forcefield, as close to Sisko as he could get, and with as much courage as he could muster, made his wishes clear. "Commander Sisko, I don't know how things work here on the station. I don't know how you treat Cardassians, and I don't know what life here would be like for me, but I don't care. All that matters to me is that I can't go to Cardassia, and I can't go back to Bajor. _I want to stay here._ "

The Commander searched his eyes for a moment, perhaps looking for any signs that the boy was lying, then exchanged a few meaningful glances with the others before turning back to the young Cardassian. "Alright, Modir, we will allow you to stay-" Modir's face lit up "- _temporarily_. Or at least, until we figure out the best course of action. Ideally, you should be returned to your Bajoran family, but perhaps some sort of arrangement can be made."

Relief washed over the boy at the sound of those words. 

"In the meantime, Dr Bashir," Sisko turned towards another officer as he spoke; A Human, Modir guessed, based on the man's appearance, "I want you to examine him, make sure he's alright."

The doctor nodded. A quick press of a button promptly brought down the forcefield, allowing him to leave the holding cell for the first time since he was apprehended. Modir quietly followed Bashir as he escorted the young Cardassian down to the infirmary, but along the way, his mind was racing.

What was going to happen to him? Would Sisko send him to Cardassia, despite his wish to stay on DS9? Or worse, would he send him back to Bajor? He couldn't stop thinking about it, even as Dr Bashir began checking him over. The beeping of medical tricorders was drowned out by the rushing of blood in his ears, the anxiety swelling in his chest. 

Perhaps his face wasn't as neutral as he believed, as the doctor interrupted his train of thought, "Don't worry, Modir. I'm sure that whatever Commander Sisko's decision is, it will be whatever's best for you." His words did very little to ease his worries, but Modir faked a smile, which the doctor cheerfully returned.

It didn't take long for the medical exam to be completed. Once Dr Bashir was done poking and prodding at his body, he gave Modir a clean bill of health, which, according to Bashir, was a testament to how well the Bajorans took care of him. Modir was visibly saddened by that comment. He loved his family, he truly did, but he didn't belong on Bajor - He was a Cardassian. That being said, Modir knew that he didn't belong on Cardassia either, no matter how much he wished otherwise. Reaching up and removing the traditional Bajoran earring he wore, he briefly wondered how other Cardassians would react to seeing him. They would consider him a disgrace to Cardassians everywhere, no doubt. He cradled the precious metal in his scaly, grey hands for a moment before quickly putting it back on as the Bajoran officer from earlier walked in.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Ah, Major Kira. He's fine, as far as I can tell. My knowledge of Cardassian physiology is somewhat limited, after all, but I can't find anything wrong with him."

"That's good to hear." Kira hardly spared Modir a glance as she talked with the doctor, though he noticed how she seemed to stiffen whenever she did make eye contact with the Cardassian boy. She lowered her voice in an attempt to keep Modir out of the conversation, "Commander Sisko contacted Gul Dukat to see if he could find out whether Modir here has any living relatives back on Cardassia."

"And?" Dr Bashir said questioningly.

The Major shook her head. "Nothing." Her voice was almost remorseful. 

"I see." The doctor lowered his voice as well, "Has the Commander decided what to do with him?"

"Not yet. He still has to contact the boy's Bajoran family, and they'll no doubt want him back."

Bashir hummed in agreement. He busied himself with putting away some medical equipment as the Major stepped closer to the young Cardassian.

"While we wait for Commander Sisko to make his decision, you'll be staying with the O'Briens. They'll take good care of you, come on." She motioned for Modir to follow her, which he did. Again, he walked quietly, tail low to the ground, and his mind engrossed in his own thoughts. 

They traversed the vast corridors of the station in silence, save for the occasional comment from Kira explaining where they were. She took him to an area she called the "Habitat Ring", where the crew quarters were apparently located. The lighting was harsh, at least to Cardassian eyes, but not as blinding as it had been in the holding cell. It was cold, too. Terribly cold. His train of thought wandered once again to his fantasies of life on Cardassia. Warm, dark, comfortable.

If only his homeworld could be so peaceful for a Bajoran-raised Cardassian such as himself.


	2. Meeting The Locals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No dialogue in this one - Just Modir and his Thoughts™.

The O'Briens turned out to be a wonderful little family. As soon as Modir stepped into their quarters, he found the lights already dimmed and the temperature already turned up to comfortable Cardassian levels. It was later explained that since they had briefly cared for another Cardassian orphan in the past, they knew what Modir's ideal environment was. Their concern for his comfort was very unexpected - Wasn't this a _Bajoran_ station? Perhaps humans didn't view Cardassians through quite the same lens that Bajorans did.

Or at least, Keiko certainly didn't. She welcomed Modir with open arms, despite the risk that he may be on his way to either Cardassia or Bajor the very next day. A makeshift bed was already prepared, a set of clean clothes for the morning was ready and waiting, and a place had been set for him at their table. Keiko said she was just "Doing what any mother would do.", but Modir still couldn't quite believe that humans would go to such lengths for a complete stranger, much less a _Cardassian_. She even offered Modir a choice of either Bajoran or Cardassian food; Yet another gesture of surprising, but not unwelcome, kindness towards the boy. Keiko was quite an extraordinary human. Modir could already tell that he was going to be very fond of her, even if he only stayed for one night.

Miles, on the other hand, was a slightly different story. He welcomed Modir, of course, but didn't seem quite as... _unbothered_ by the young Cardassian's presence as Keiko. The chief was on edge for most of the otherwise peaceful evening. Keiko and Modir talked happily over a delicious platter of Bajoran hasperat, while Miles merely picked at his food and listened. Hasperat wasn't appealing to everyone, after all, but Modir sensed that Miles' near-silence wasn't because of the food.

It didn't matter that much, though, what Miles thought. While Modir desperately hoped that Commander Sisko would allow him to stay on DS9, he knew that, realistically, he would be sent back to Bajor - Most likely first thing in the morning. The O'Briens would only have to accommodate him for one night, then they could go back to their normal lives, plain and simple. 

In a way, Modir was grateful for that. He didn't want to burden this family, or anyone on DS9, for any longer than he had to. Even as Keiko reassured him that Sisko will keep his wishes in mind, Modir had already begun mentally preparing himself to go back to Bajor. It would be what's best for the station, perhaps even best for Modir himself. Would living on DS9 actually do him any good? Would it truly be any better than his life on Bajor? So many questions and so few answers. But despite the anxiety creeping up his spine and the worries clouding his mind, the young Cardassian put on a brave face and acted as though everything was perfectly fine. The O'Briens had already done so much for him, he didn't want them to worry about him as well. They already had their sweet little daughter to take care of; That was surely stressful enough on its own without Modir's personal problems thrown into the mix. 

Modir kept quiet about his worries, and as a result, dinner went quite smoothly. Apparently, Modir was much more talkative than the other Cardassian orphan who had visited the station, but that wasn't entirely true; His engagement in this conversation was merely a way of covering up his anxiety. Being compared to Rugal also made Modir even more concerned than he had been, even though the reason why Rugal was sent to Cardassia was that he had living relatives there, and Modir was most definitely an orphan. Now, in Modir's eyes, there was an even bigger risk that he wouldn't be on DS9 this time tomorrow.

Of course, he didn't mention any of this to the O'Briens.

Sleeping was near-impossible that night, and not because of the couch he was laying on. The young Cardassian tossed and turned for what felt like hours before exhaustion finally overpowered the adrenaline still rushing through his system. It wasn't deep, nor restful sleep, but it was sleep nonetheless, and Modir did awake feeling somewhat refreshed and significantly calmer. There wasn't any news on Commander Sisko's decision yet, but Modir already knew what it was going to be. He figured that he might as well enjoy what little time he had left on the station before he was sent back to Bajor, so he went for a wander. Both Keiko and Miles each offered to accompany him, but Modir politely declined, explaining that he wanted to enjoy a bit of alone time before he inevitably had to face his Bajoran parents. Somehow, they actually let him leave on his own. Modir would have to figure that one out later.

He made his way down to the promenade. Walking through the crowds of people was a very different experience when he wasn't trying to hide from security. Modir did get a few odd looks from some of the resident Bajorans, but he didn't let that stop him. He was on the promenade because he had every right to be there, not because he was attempting to steal food from Quark's, and Modir was going to savour every moment of it. Although the lights were harsh, the air was cold, and the floor was hard on his claws, it was quite enjoyable to see so many wildly different species all in one place, talking, laughing, and just being comfortable around each other. Despite their differences, interspecies friendships, and even _relationships_ , were everywhere.

There it was again, that sickening feeling in his stomach. Modir understood what it was by now; fear, jealousy, rage. It wasn't right that the people on DS9 could live without the xenophobia that he had faced his entire childhood.

It was yet another reason why the knowledge that Sisko would send him back to Bajor was so infuriating.

These thoughts swirled in the young Cardassian's mind as he kept walking. It wasn't until something in the corner of his eye grabbed his attention that Modir's train of thought was broken. He stood on his tip-toes, searching the crowds for what he could have sworn he'd just seen. After a minute or so, when his search yielded nothing, Modir was about to start making his way back to the O'Briens' quarters. But then there it was. Or rather, there _he_ was: Another Cardassian.

Older, much older, but most definitely a Cardassian. Modir watched for a moment as he chattered happily with none other than Dr Bashir. They seemed to be debating something, but it wasn't a full-on argument; He could tell from their tones of voice that the conversation was nothing but friendly. It was almost relieving to see that a Human could have such a close friendship with a Cardassian. _If_ Modir was going to be staying on the station, it would have given him hope that life there would be better than on Bajor. He couldn't observe this interaction for very long, though, as while turned and passionately speaking to the doctor, the older Cardassian made eye contact with Modir.

Modir shouldn't be scared. He had no _reason_ to be scared, but his Bajoran upbringing said otherwise. The instincts he had developed from being fed lies about his people for so many years kicked in.

He ran.

Whether Bashir and his Cardassian friend saw him leave didn't matter, he just had to get out of there. Modir had to go somewhere, anywhere, so long as he could get away from them. He trembled and panted and ran like his life depended on it until he happened upon a small, secluded area where he could hide.

Modir collapsed against the wall, still shaking and gasping, and sunk down to the floor. The young Cardassian wrapped his tail around himself, curling into a scaly, grey ball.

Nobody could see him here. It was safe to let the tears flow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos and feedback are greatly appreciated! Also, I'm sorry for the short chapters. Writing is a slow process and it takes far too long to get a chapter to a decent length before I post it. I guess that just means this fic will have a lot of chapters when it's done.


	3. The Noh-Jay Consortium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favourite Cardassian meets DS9's resident troublemakers. Also Modir has officially been nicknamed "The Anxiety Lizard".

It took several minutes of crying to let all of his anxiety out. Modir was still shaking, and his heart was still pounding, but with each ragged breath, he was gradually calming down. The rush of adrenaline was beginning to wear off, leaving the young Cardassian quite exhausted despite it being only mid-morning. He had already been so worked up and anxious that seeing the other Cardassian sent him right over the edge. It wasn't often that he had panic attacks, but he had learned some techniques for calming himself down when he did. Modir focused on his breathing, making an effort to take deep, steady breaths, just as his Bajoran parents taught him to. And though the occasional tear still fell, he was feeling somewhat better.

"Tell him to leave, then."

A voice suddenly interrupted his concentration. Modir wiped his eyes again and looked up at where it had come from.

"Nog, we can't just kick him out! Can't you see he's upset?" 

Two boys, one Human and one Ferengi, stood just within earshot, having a heated but quiet conversation, apparently about Modir. They obviously didn't want Modir to hear him, but he listened anyway.

"But this is our spot, Jake, and he's a _Cardassian!_ "

"So? That doesn't mean we can force him to go!"

"How will we come up with our plans if we can't do it in our special planning spot?!"

"Nog, he's not gonna be there for the rest of time. Besides, we can just work on our plans somewhere else or some other time. It really doesn't matter that he's here."

"Fine, but at least try talking to him before we give up!"

Modir was still sitting on the floor when one of the boys approached him. The human one, who was around the same age as himself if Modir wasn't mistaken.

"Hey, uh... Are you okay?" The boy asked as he crouched down beside Modir. The young Cardassian didn't respond. He glanced at the human, frowned slightly, and looked away.

"My name's Jake. What's yours?"

"...Modir." He said quietly, still not making eye contact.

Jake smiled, "Modir. That's a cool name." The Ferengi boy now joined them. Jake looked at him insistently, gesturing towards Modir, when the Ferengi remained silent.

Sighing frustratedly, the Ferengi introduced himself as well, "I'm Nog."

"You want me to leave, don't you?" Modir softly said, finally looking over at the two boys. 

"Ye-" Nog began, but was interrupted by Jake's emphatic " _No._ ". They exchanged a mildly annoyed glance before turning back to Modir.

"No, we don't. This _is_ our usual spot to hang out and plan pranks and stuff, but it's not like we own it or anything. You're free to stay here if you want to." Jake said. Modir wasn't sure whether he should be comforted by that, or further encouraged to actually leave. He stayed quiet once again, merely giving Jake a slight nod in response.

"I haven't seen you around before, are you new here?" The young human seemed eager to make conversation.

"You... could say that," Modir said slowly.

"Jake-" Nog started to say, but Jake shushed him and gestured for Modir to continue. 

It was strange, Modir had only just met these two boys, and yet he felt as though he could trust them. Well, he could trust Jake, at least. Nog didn't seem too fond of him, probably because he was a Cardassian. It wasn't unusual.

"I'm not going to be here much longer, though." Modir tried not to sound too miserable about it, even though the other two clearly knew he had been upset about something.

"How come? Going back to Cardassia?"

Modir shook his head. "I'm going to... Bajor."

"To _Bajor?!_ Why would a _Cardassian_ be going to Bajor?" Nog was, unsurprisingly, shocked at this.

"...It's a bit of a long story." Modir admitted, "You wouldn't care."

"Hey, I would care!" Jake shuffled closer to the young Cardassian, "And so would you, Nog." He said.

Nog huffed in annoyance but was intrigued by Modir's reasons for going to Bajor, so he also moved closer. "Alright. Tell us then."

"But only if you want to." Jake added.

Modir took a moment to collect his thoughts before he spoke. "I don't know how much you know about the occupation of Bajor, but... Basically what happened towards the end, when the Cardassians were leaving, was that a bunch of Cardassian orphans were left behind. And... I was one of them. Children with no family have no status in Cardassian society, so they just abandoned us. The Bajorans must have taken pity on us because they took us in and raised us as if we were their own. I know what you're thinking, but it wasn't all good. Our Bajoran families told us all about the occupation and how cruel the Cardassians were; They raised us to hate our own kind, and for a long time, I did hate them. I _despised_ Cardassians. I wished I wasn't one of them. We all did."

Jake gave him a sympathetic look, "That sounds awful."

"What changed your mind?" Nog asked curiously.

"I saw Dr Bashir and his Cardassian friend come to Bajor."

"Oh, you mean Garak?" Modir was surprised by Jake's comment at first but then realised that the other Cardassian was probably a resident of the station. It made sense that the two had met at least once.

Modir nodded, "They were looking for information on another orphan, apparently. But just _seeing_ a Cardassian on Bajor, not doing anything bad or mistreating the Bajorans he came in contact with... It was enough to make me doubt what my parents had taught me. I started to wonder if maybe... not all Cardassians were evil, maybe some of them could be good. Thinking about that made me realise just how differently I was treated, not because I had done anything wrong, but simply because I was a Cardassian. The Bajoran kids wouldn't come near me, I had no friends, I was... very lonely."

Modir paused and took a deep breath. It felt good to finally get all of this off his shoulders.

"After a month or so, I had made up my mind. I didn't belong on Bajor, I was going to go to Cardassia and find out the truth. Discover who my people really were and finally be among my own kind. So I hid on a Bajoran cargo ship headed for DS9, but when I got here, I started having second thoughts about my plan. As an orphan, I would be nobody in Cardassian society. And because of my Bajoran upbringing-" He gestured to his earring, "-The other Cardassians would never accept me. I didn't know what to do at first, but I figured that since I was already here on the station, it might be a good place for me to stay. This station may be right next to Bajor, but it _isn't_ Bajor, and it isn't Cardassia either. It's sort of... halfway in between, just like me."

"Why're you going back to Bajor then?"

"Because I have to. I didn't just leave my Bajoran family, I ran away. Commander Sisko told me yesterday that he'd be contacting them about me wanting to stay on DS9, but I already know what they'll have said. There's no way they'd let me stay here, and I doubt Sisko would want me here either. He's going to send me back, I know he is."

Jake and Nog looked at each other, their faces lighting up as they both had the same perfect idea.

"Jake, if your father hasn't told Modir his decision yet, then there might still be time for you to change his mind! You should talk to him, see if you can convince him to let Modir stay." Nog said excitedly.

Wait, Commander Sisko was Jake's Dad? Modir was surprised, to say the least.

"You're right, I might be able to persuade him. I'll go talk to him right now before it's too late." The two boys stood up, and Nog began to walk away, but Jake paused to check on Modir, "You'll be alright on your own, won't you?"

The young Cardassian nodded. He'd relaxed significantly ever since he started talking to them and didn't feel anywhere near as anxious as earlier.

Jake and Nog left quickly, presumably to find Commander Sisko, and left Modir to think about the very unexpected conversation he'd just had. There were a lot of things about it that didn't make sense. Why did they care so much about whether Modir gets to stay on DS9 or not? They'd only just met him and were already willing to try and persuade the Commander of the station to change his mind. Humans, and Ferengi, apparently, were very different from Bajorans.

Modir had only known these two boys for a matter of minutes, but he already liked them. If they were successful, and Modir was allowed to stay on the station, he imagined that they would become very good friends.

He really hoped they would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed Modir infodumping about his past as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's fun to write a character based on myself.
> 
> Also I just wanna say thank you guys so, so much for all the support this fic has been getting. I was super nervous to start posting it because I don't usually share my work, but suddenly y'all start telling me how much you're enjoying it and how much you love Modir and I'm incredibly happy that my story has been so well received. It's very gratifying to know that people like what I write!


	4. The Big Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sisko makes his decision. Will Modir be allowed to stay on DS9, or sent back to Bajor against his wishes?

Modir sat quietly on a small bench in front of one of the many huge windows looking out into space, the promenade bustling with life on the floor below. Around 20 minutes had passed since Jake and Nog left to find Commander Sisko and try to convince him to let the young Cardassian stay on DS9. Modir had stayed in his hiding spot for a little while after they left, thinking about what just happened and psyching himself up to go back out on the promenade. Once he'd made sure the coast was clear, and that there weren't any scaly, grey tails poking out from the crowds, Modir slipped out into the mass of people. He snuck around as if he was hiding from security again when in reality, he just didn't want to be seen. There wasn't much for him to do on the promenade, and the young Cardassian really wasn't in the mood to go back to the O'Briens. They were lovely people who had been incredibly kind to him, but they weren't what he needed right now. All Modir really wanted was for Sisko get it over with and tell him that he was going back to Bajor.

So he found himself somewhere to wait for his new friends to return. Jake and Nog - Could Modir call them friends yet? They'd only met that morning, but he already felt quite attached to them. The young Cardassian hadn't encountered such generosity from a stranger in a long time, not since his Bajoran parents took him in. Modir wasn't sure if we wanted to just let that go; Perhaps there was some way for him to stay in contact with them once he was back on Bajor.

 _If Sisko would allow it_ , Modir thought, as he looked out across the stars that dotted the vast blackness of space. There must be thousands of them, and those were only the ones he could see through this one window. Modir had often gazed up at the stars from his home on Bajor, wondering how many of them had planets which supported life. 

Wondering if one of them might be Cardassia's sun.

And perhaps one of them was, but Modir would never be able to see for himself. Jake and Nog came running up to him with the news that they tried, but Sisko "Had already made his decision".

"He wouldn't tell me what it was, though." Jake said, "I guess you're gonna have to wait and find out yourself." Both he and Nog looked apologetic, as if it was their fault that Sisko had already made up his mind.

Modir gave them a little smile, "It's okay. You tried, and... I'm really grateful that you did."

"Mind if we join you?"

"Oh, no, I don't mind." Modir moved his tail out of the way so that it didn't get sat on as Jake and Nog took the spaces either side of him. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The young Cardassian said after a few minutes of peaceful silence.

"Yeah... It is beautiful." Jake said. 

"Beautiful... And full of opportunities to earn profit!" The other two glared at Nog, who quickly defended himself by saying, "What? Rule of Acquisition number 75: 'Home is where the heart is, but the stars are made of latinum'."

"Way to ruin the moment, Nog." Jake rolled his eyes and turned back to the window.

Modir smiled to himself. These two were very entertaining and, not to mention, warm. He wasn't in physical contact with either of them and yet he could feel the heat radiating from their bodies. It was quite comforting in the brisk temperature of the station. 

"I hate to interrupt what I'm sure is a lovely bonding moment between the three of you, but Commander Sisko wants to see you, Modir, in his office. Now." The rather miffed voice of the security chief, whose name Modir later learned was Odo, came from just over their shoulders. They all turned to see Odo standing stiffly behind them with arms folded, waiting. Modir couldn't help the wide-eyed expression of fear on his face as he stood up. The young Cardassian gave his new friends one last quick smile before following Odo to the nearest turbolift.

"Ops."

The lift began to move. Modir hadn't been to Ops before, he wasn't even sure what was up there. Assuming that "Ops" was short for "Operations", he supposed that it was probably some sort of control room. But Modir had more on his mind at that moment than guessing about where he was going: The all-too-familiar sensation of anxiety growing in his chest was beginning to overwhelm him. He couldn't help the way his hands trembled as he and Odo stood in silence. Attempts to hide his nerves by steadying his breathing and holing his hands behind his back were futile, as the rapid, unconscious flicking of his tail gave him away to the security chief. Odo didn't say anything, but Modir could tell that he knew. It was fairly obvious that the young Cardassian was agitated about something. 

Modir's suspicion turned out to be correct, but as they left the turbolift, his mind was focussed on one thing. Although, as he and Odo passed through Ops towards Commander Sisko's office, he caught the eyes of several officers. Miles gave him a reassuring nod from across the room, and the officer whose intricate, spot-like markings he had noticed before wished him good luck. Major Kira merely spared him a glance at first, but she must have seen his thinly veiled terror and returned his gaze with a slight smile. Modir appreciated their efforts to comfort him, but it did very little. The moment he set foot inside Sisko's office, another wave of adrenaline hit him.

This was it. Time to find out whether he would be allowed to stay on DS9, or sent back to Bajor against his wishes. Modir highly doubted that the Commander would send him to Cardassia; he had no place there, even if he would be among his own kind. It was either the station or Bajor. No in-between, no other options, no questioning Sisko's decision.

The Commander's word was final. No one had said it, but Modir knew it, and he wasn't prepared to go up against someone in a position of power.

"Hello again, Modir." Sisko greeted the young Cardassian from his desk as Odo left the room, leaving only Modir and Sisko in the office. "I trust you had a pleasant night with the O'Briens."

Modir nodded, "They were very kind to me. I... really liked them." He said softly. 

"Good. Now, I have been in contact with a... _friend_ on Cardassia to see if you have any living relatives who might be able to care for you." Sisko got up and walked around the table to Modir as he spoke. "As it turns out, unlike Rugal, you truly are an orphan. Unfortunate though that may be, it eliminates Cardassia from your list of options."

Good, at least he agreed with Modir on that one.

"I have also been in touch with your adoptive family on Bajor. As I'm sure you can imagine, they are keen to have you returned to them."

 _Not a good sign_ , Modir thought.

"But after some discussion, they and I have come to an agreement. Your parents understand your desire to learn more about your fellow Cardassians despite what they taught you while you were in their care. It's only natural for you to want to know the truth, the full truth, about your people, and to live somewhere where being a Cardassian doesn't matter quite so much."

Wait, _what?!_

A brief pause, then Sisko broke out into a smile, "It took some convincing, but your parents have agreed to let you stay on DS9. The only conditions are they can keep in touch with you over subspace and come visit you every once in a while."

The young Cardassian was left speechless. He just stood there, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, completely frozen with shock. Even his tail had stopped twitching.

Sisko clapped a hand on Modir's shoulder. "Congratulations, Modir, you've just become an official resident of Deep Space 9." He said, sounding almost proud that the boy would be staying.

Modir was still at a loss for words. His parents had actually agreed to this?! Not that he was complaining, of course; He simply couldn't believe that, after all these years of essentially brainwashing him to hate his own kind, they were letting Modir abandon that life so easily. Perhaps they truly did care for his wellbeing and weren't merely attempting to raise a generation of Cardassians who went against everything Cardassia stood for. But potentially even more shocking than his parents agreeing to this arrangement was Sisko agreeing to it. That aspect of this strange situation utterly bewildered him.

The Commander had known of Modir's presence on the station for less than a day, yet he was already willing to let Modir, a _Cardassian_ , stay there. On a _Bajoran_ station. Surely DS9's Bajoran population wouldn't approve, which would no doubt cause an abundance of problems for Sisko and his officers. But there he was, giving Modir the opportunity he had been longing for, the chance to start a new life in a new place with new people, and no-one to tell him what he should or shouldn't believe about his kind.

It was perfect. _Too perfect._

But now wasn't the time to worry about whether the Commander had some sort of ulterior motive for keeping Modir on the station - The young Cardassian had other things to think about.

After several seconds of shock-induced staring, Modir finally spoke up. "I... oh thank you, sir, thank you so much, you-" His eyes were welling up now, the pure joy he had tried to hold back was starting to overflow, "... I-I never thought you would actually let me stay."

Sisko chuckled softly, "Come on, let's get you properly settled in. You'll still be sharing quarters with the O'Briens, unless there's someone else you'd rather stay with." He said as the two began to make their way out of the office.

"No, no, the O'Briens are perfect." Modir's smile was the biggest, broadest, most genuine smile he'd ever had; The young Cardassian was practically bursting with happiness. He couldn't help the few tears that caught on his eye ridges as he followed Sisko through Ops, grinning giddily at Miles and the others, and back to the turbolift. Their brisk walk down to the O'Briens' quarters was the first time Modir had traversed the station's halls, not as a guest, nor a runaway, but as a _resident_.

His heart was pounding, and his hands were shaking, and the tears continued to flow, but for all the right reasons.

Modir was finally free to live as he wanted, do as he pleased, and simply exist as a Cardassian without the harsh treatment he faced on Bajor. There would be challenges, of course: Most of the station's population was made up of Bajorans, after all, but that didn't matter. He had a new home, new friends, a new life.

Things were finally looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took forever to write. Hopefully it isn't as bad as I think it is.
> 
> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> I know I tagged some stuff that isn't actually in this chapter - That's because I already have the next few chapters planned out, I just need to actually write them. Be patient!


End file.
